


Clouds In My Coffee

by originalgrissel



Category: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: Gen, M/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-27
Updated: 2013-05-27
Packaged: 2017-12-13 02:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/819126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/originalgrissel/pseuds/originalgrissel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On their way back to Cardiff after saving the world from The Master, Jack and Martha discuss matters of the heart over mediocre coffee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clouds In My Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> Missing moment between Martha Jones and Captain Jack Harkness from S3x13, "Last of the Time Lords" as they wing their way back to Cardiff in the TARDIS. This ficlet contains Jack/Martha friendship & mentions of Jack/Ianto shippage just FYI.
> 
> I first published this back on Feb. 6th, 2008 on my livejournal and decided to upload it here as well. Enjoy!  
> _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Alright, coffee’s all round then.” 

Martha moved around the control room of the TARDIS, a tea tray balanced on one hand as with the other she offered The Doctor a steaming mug.

“What about you, Jack? Care for a coffee?”

He looked up at Martha’s question but his eyes never made it to her face; they stopped when they saw the tray and the mugs. If he closed his eyes he could pretend that it was Ianto standing before him, a soft smile on his handsome face as he placed Jack’s coffee down on the desk.

But it wasn’t Ianto. 

Anger, regret, loneliness-he could feel them all roiling in his gut and he couldn’t keep looking at Martha standing there where Ianto should have been. He shook his head and turned away from her, but not before she caught the look on his face.

The Doctor took a sip from his mug and made several noises of enjoyment before he turned to his companions. “Do you know what would really hit the spot with this coffee? Biscuits! I think we still had a tin left somewhere... won’t be a moment.” 

As he wandered out of the control room Martha sat down next to Jack, her own mug forgotten. “Are you alright?”

He mustered up a half-hearted grin. It was the best he could do at the moment. “Sure, great…never better. Why do you ask?”

“Because when I asked about the coffee you had this look on your face that was like... Well, not to sound too dramatic but it was a bit like desperate longing.”

Meeting her steady gaze suddenly became very difficult for Jack and he glanced away, hoping that The Doctor would come back in with the biscuit tin and distract Martha. 

No such luck.

“I’m not trying to pry, honestly, but you looked like you could use a friend, that’s all.”

When he remained silent she assumed he didn’t want to talk about whatever was bothering him, so she patted him awkwardly on the shoulder and started to get up but as she reached for her cup he spoke.

“The coffee…it just reminded me of someone…back home in Cardiff. Someone…I left behind.” 

“She must be someone special to put a look like that on your face.” 

The corner of Jack’s mouth lifted in a grin that was a bit more genuine this time. “Yeah, he is; Very special.”

Looking more than a little embarrassed at her incorrect assumption Martha returned the smile. “So, who…uh, who is this very special man?”

He hesitated only a moment before speaking the name, his voice soft and tinged with sadness, “Ianto Jones- He’s a member of my team.” It was an effort to keep from thinking about all the things that could have happened to his team in his absence, but he knew that it would be pointless to start dwelling on the unknown. It had only taken him about a hundred years to learn that lesson, but it had finally sunk in. 

“And what is your Ianto Jones like…if you don’t mind me asking?”

For a long moment he was silent and Martha thought that perhaps she had pushed too far, but then his smile widened and he reached for her mug and took a deep swallow of the warm, brown liquid. “Well, he makes excellent coffee.”

“Ahh, so it’s true what my grandmother used to tell me about the way to a man’s heart being through his stomach, then eh?”

Jack chuckled softly. “Maybe so; It sure doesn’t hurt, but that’s not his only talent.” One of Martha’s finely arched brows rose at his comment and he laughed again. “Well, he’s talented in that area too, but it’s not just about the sex and coffee.”

Leaning her elbow against the control panel Martha noticed that Jack’s smile had faded and that look of loss and longing was back on his face. “What is it about then? What is it about him that makes him so special?”

Wrapping his long fingers around the mug Jack closed his eyes and Ianto was there, suit perfectly pressed, shoes perfectly shined, tie impeccably straight. 

God he missed him!

Forcing his eyes open Jack looked down into the cup in his hands and before he’d even really consciously thought about the answer words just started tumbling out of his mouth. “He’s brilliant, efficient, beautiful…and he’s strong…emotionally. God, he’s been through things that would break most people, been faced with things no one should ever have to face but he came through it all. And even after everything, he’s still got this spark inside of him. It might have dimmed for a while, but it never totally died.” He sighed and Martha could hear a world of pain in it. “I’ve never known anyone like him, anyone that had so much love and humility inside them…and I’ve never had anyone take care of me the way he does.” He realized that he’d been rambling and flashed Martha an apologetic grin. “Anyway, you get the picture.” 

“Did you ever tell him you were in love with him?” 

He shook his head sadly, “Things between us were…complicated. I wasn’t sure what I felt back then or maybe I was just too scared to admit it to myself. But…I think he knew. At least…I hope he knew.”

She felt for Jack. Being away from the people you loved was never easy, but knowing that you might have missed the chance to ever let them know how you truly felt had to be painful indeed. “Maybe when we get you home you can introduce me some time. Let me see for myself if he’s as wonderful in reality as you make him sound.” 

Jack’s face softened, “Trust me…he is. And, if he ever speaks to me again after my little disappearing act I’d be happy to make the introductions.”

Martha’s eyes narrowed a bit, “You didn’t tell him you were leaving?”

Jack shook his head, his expression growing serious once more. “There wasn’t time, but I’m sure that once he saw that the hand was gone he would have figured out where I was…who I was with.” 

Martha knew full well just how hard it was to resist the lure of traveling with The Doctor and after having waited over a hundred years it was understandable that Jack wouldn’t have wanted to miss him again, but if she had been the one left behind she knew she’d have a hard time forgiving Jack. “Well, I’d say you’re going to have a bit of groveling to do when you get back. I know you would if you’d run off like that on me.” 

Jack grinned half-heartedly. “I suppose you’re right. You Joneses certainly can hold a grudge, but after the year I’ve had, groveling sounds pretty good. And honestly…I think I’d do just about anything I had to, to get him to forgive me.”

“Must really be love then.” Martha replied, her voice a bit wistful as she turned to watch the Doctor bustle back in with his biscuits. 

Jack closed his eyes, picturing Ianto behind the reception desk in the tourist office, his eyes bright, a warm smile on his sweet lips. “Yeah…I think it must.”

 

The End


End file.
